Program Overview

Program Overview

Gain the skills needed to help children and youth who have suffered traumatic events, illnesses, or injuries cope with stress and realize their potential.

UFV’s graduate certificate in Child Life and Community Health can be a stepping stone to a fulfilling career in child and youth welfare where you become an agent of change in the lives of youth and their families.

Program Details

• Duration: 15-credit program**
• Duration: 4 or 5 semesters
• Eligibility: Prepares students to meet the professional requirements of the Association of Child Life Professionals to become eligible to write the Child Life Professional Certification Exam.

Learning Environment

You learn with a small cohort of 12 peers in a supportive and personalized learning environment, where you are exposed to the highest standard of practice in the field.

Curriculum

You explore the theories specific to child life and community health, therapeutic play, expressive therapies, child development, how to work with grief and loss, and more.

Clinical Internship

Once you complete three core courses, you are equipped to pursue a clinical internship at a local, provincial, national, or international health care organization.

Career Opportunities

Upon graduation, you have acquired the knowledge and clinical training required to work with interdisciplinary healthcare teams and community professionals in order to meet the developmental needs of children and youth.

Career Outlook

Successful graduates from UFV’s Child Life and Community Health program may complete the Child Life Professional Certification Examination and receive the designation of Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) issued by the Association of Child Life Professionals.

• Certification: Certification is a voluntary step, although most Canadian employers require certification or eligibility for the certification exam as a condition of employment in hospital child life programs and community health settings.
• Career Paths: Graduates may also pursue rewarding careers in a wide range of fields, including, but not limited to:
  • Special needs support
  • Residential treatment schools
  • Youth justice
  • Advocacy
  • Early intervention mental health
  • Parent education
  • Recreation
  • Child protection